Mechanical card game apparatus



Oct. 25, 1966 A. MILLER MECHANICAL CARD GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5,1954 gli 4 f5 f V52 United States Patent @Hice 3,281,149 Patented Oct.25, 1966 3,281,149 MECHANICAL CARD GAME APPARATUS Alvin Miller, 18Putnam Court, Commack, Long Island, N.Y. Filed Feb. 5, 1964, Ser. No.342,624 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-143) The present invention relates toimprovements in games and, more specifically to mechanically actuatedgames having movable groups of cards, or the like, bearing diiferentindicia, wherein the groups are mounted on rotating elements and arearranged to form a competitive group amusement game with two or moreplayers, although this game device also can be used las a single cardplaying machine.

A general objective of this invention is to provide a mechanical game,lsuch as the indicated card type, which is novel in construction andarrangement and attractive to persons interested in the playing ofmechanical games.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a gamedevice of the character described which is particularly well adapted tobe played as a kind of poker game, that, however, is not a mere game ofchance but more a game of skill, and which I prefer to call U-DealPoker.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a gamedevice of the character described which is simple in operation, yetneeds the skill of the players so as to make it a thrilling excitinggame, which is also comparatively simple in construction and easy tomaintain in good mechanical working order at all times, and whichrestricts the activity of the players to the pressing of buttons, sothat any dam-aging of the apparatus due to faulty or careless operationis impossible.

With the foregoing and other objects which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction 'and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangements of parts of the embodimentdisclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying dnawing I have set forth an illustrative embodimentof my invention.

In said drawing:

FIGURE l is a wiring diagram of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a fractional sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 4 is yan enlarged fractional sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG.2.

Similar reference chanacters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes a front counter which has a top 2with .a plurality of operating buttons of push-button switches (vebuttons) in the present instance 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The counter is aboutforty-two inches high, so that the buttons 3-7 can be operatedconveniently. A stand-up console or cabinet 1t), which preferably isseventy-two inches high is placed in back of the counter 1, eitheradjacent thereto, as shown, or in spaced relation thereto so that thereis Ian aisle (not shown) between the counter 1 and the cabinet 10. Afront panel 11 of the cabinet is provided with lens windows or openings12 through which wheels 15, 16, 17, 18 .and 19 can be seen. Indicatorlamps 20 and 21, of which the lamp 20 preferably is green and the lamp21 red, as well as a switch 22a, also ,are mounted on the panel 11.

Within the casing 10 there is mounted on one of the walls of the casing10 an electric motor 22, which drives a shaft 23 that is rotatablymounted in, and is traversely extended through, the casing 10'. Hubs 24are mounted on the `shaft 23, which is freely rotatable relative to thehubs 24. One of the drum-shaped wheels 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 is securedto one of each of the hubs 24 by means of screws 25 or the like, andtubular spacing members 30 are interposed between the wheels 15, 16, 17,18, 19 and the nearest one of the hubs 24. A collar 31 (FIG. 4) issecured to the shaft 23 intermediate a collar 24 and a bearing 32 thatis secured to a wall of the casing 10 and in which is rotatable that endportion of the shaft 23 which is opposite the motor 22. This arrangementconstitutes a frictional connection between the shaft 23 and the hubs24, so that upon rotation of the shaft 23 the hubs 24 and the wheels 15to 19 inclusive will be rotated also, although there may |be some slipcausing a difference in the number of revolutions between the shaft 23and the hubs 24.

The wheels 15 to 19 Iare polygonal in circumference, and they areprefenably ten-sided as in the instance shown. A game card 33 or apicture of a card or the like is provided at each one of the tencircumferential sides of each wheel 15 to 19, so that in the instanceshown there are ve wheels with fifty cards 33.

An index bolt 34 for each Icircumferential side is mounted on each wheel15 to 19 inclusive, and is laterally extended therefrom, as may be seenin FIGS. 3 and 4. An intermediate bottom 35 (FIG. 3) preferably isprovided in the casing 10 beneath the wheels 15 to 19, and mounted onthe bottom 35 are brackets 37 and 40 in which is mounted 'a shaft 41. Anarm 42 is pivot-ably mounted on the shaft 41 between the wheels 15 and16, 16 and 17, 17 and 18, 18 and 19 las well as between the wheel 19 andthe motor 22. A tension spring 43, which has one end secured to thecasing 10 and the other end to the lower portion of each arm 42 at 44(FIG. 3), tends to swing the `arm 42 in `a counter-clockwise directionon the shaft 41, so that the upper end of each 'arm 42 engages an indexbolt 34, thus stopping rotation of the wheels 15 to 19. A rod 45 also iswit-h one end pivotally connected to each arm 42 at 44, while its otherend is connected to the core of an electro magnet or solenoid 47, 48,49, 50k and 51, which also are mounted on the 'bottom 35. Each solenoid47 to 51, when energized, pulls an a-rrn 42 in a clockwisedirection-overcoming the power of a spring 43-so that the upper end ofthe 'arm 42 no longer engages the pins 34, thus allowing yone of thewheels 15 to 19 to be rotated by its frictional engagement with theshaft 23 through a hub 24, as long as the shaft 23 is being rotated bythe motor 22.

interposed between the push button switches 3 to 7 inclusive and thesolenoids 47 to 51 inclusive are relays 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58, whichare mounted in a box 60 'beneath the top 2 of the counter 1. Anadditional relay 61 also is mounted within the -box 60, and a switch 62is secured to the box 60.

The content of the box 60 is conductively connected by means of a cable63 to another box 64, which contains a time stop switch 67, doublerelays 70 an-d 71, a double pole push butto-n start switch 72, an alarmdevice such as a bell 73, signal lamps 74 and 75, as well as a fuse 77and a switch 78. A first cable 80 connects the device to a source ofelectrical current, and a second cable 81 connects the relays 54 to 58conductively to the solenoids 47 to 51.

The wires in the cable 63 can be connected to identical wires of another`game unit, and a counter 82 is conductively connected to a terminal ofthe coil of the relay 61 as well as to a terminal of the lamp 20. Wires90 and 91 are conductively connected to a timer (not shown).

When a group game is started, after each player has paid a fee, and theswitch 78 has been closed, the operator starts the unit by pressing acard shuille button,

which closes the switch 62. This causes the lamp 20 to light up and themotor 22 to start running, so that the shaft 23 and the wheels 15 to 19inclusive will rotate. This is repeated for each player who enters thegame, there being one game apparatus for each player. Then the operatorstarts the play -by pressing the start switch 72, which also is a pressybutt-on switch. This causes a ringing of the bell 73 and a closing ofthe relay 71, so that the Wires supplying an electrical current for thepush-button switches 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be energized. When then aplayer presses the push-button switches 3 to 7 in any sequence, relays54 through the 58 will be energized, interrupting the electrical circuitfor the solenoids 47 lthrough to 51 in the sequence which the playerchooses, which allows the springs 43 to swing the arms 42 in acounter-clockwise direction, so that the same engage pins 34 and stopthe rotation of the wheels 15 to 19. The player now has his selection,which is viewed through the lens windows 12.

Should some of the players not :make a selection in the allotted timeforinstance within thirty seconds-by pressing the push button switches 3 to7, a timer connected to the device by the wires 90 and 91, will do so byinterrupting the electric circuit of the solenoids 47 to 51.

The winner is now determined, the contestant with the highest hand wins.The operator actuates the switch 22a, which causes the lamp 21 t-o lightup over the winning unit only, and interrupts all electrical circuits tothe start position; then the play will be repeated as referred tohereinbefore.

In this manner several units represent a competitive game device playedby several contestants at one time, and a winner presented at everygame. All the contestants have to do is to press .the push buttonswitches 3 to '7 at a chosen point to stop the rotation of the wheels to19. All units have identical sequences of cards 33 and wheels 15 to 21.A contestant cannot make his selection until several players haveentered the game, and

the operator has release-d the card-select push button switches y62simultaneously.

Since certain changes -may be made in the above ar- 4 ticle anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended tocover all of the generic and specic features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as amatter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mechanical card game apparatus comprising a plurality of rotaryelements each having representations of game cards on its outer side, asingle rotating member frictionally drivingly connected to all of saidrotary elements, means for rotating said member, a circular row ofprotruding members provided on each rotary element, an arm pivoted injuxtaposition to each rotary element for engaging the protruding memberson each rotary member so as to stop its rotation when the arm is in apredetermined position, resilient means tending to force said arms intoa position in which they engage said protruding members, individualelectro magnets connected to each of said arms respectively forovercoming the force of said resilient means when energized,player-operated means for individually de-energizing said electromagnets deliberately 'and instantaneously, and a timer adapted forindividually fle-energizing said electro magnets at the expiration of apredetermined period of time without the operation of saidplayer-operated deener1gizin1g means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,674 3/1935Mills.

2,171,295 8/1939 Shultz 273-143 X 2,998,252 8/1961 St. Martin 273-143RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Examiner.

